


Sleight of Force

by obi_ki



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-12
Updated: 2011-09-12
Packaged: 2017-10-23 16:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/252643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obi_ki/pseuds/obi_ki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story is in response to Emu's TMI plot challenge, which was as follows: "Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have agreed that they love each other, and want to form a lifebond, but they haven't bonded yet. Obi-Wan goes out one day and gets caught in a Plot Device where a friend, or fellow Jedi (someone he already knows) is injured, and the only way to save them is to form a lifebond with that person. So he does. Obi-Wan has to go back to Qui-Gon and break the news that he has a new partner."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleight of Force

Category: Angst

Pairing: Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan

Rating: PG-13

Feedback: As cherished as chocolate covered Jedi. Onlist or  
off at kiowkqgj@yahoo.com

Summary: This story is in response to Emu's TMI plot  
challenge, which was as follows: "Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have  
agreed that they love each other, and want to form a  
lifebond, but they haven't bonded yet. Obi-Wan goes out one  
day and gets caught in a Plot Device where a friend, or  
fellow Jedi (someone he already knows) is injured, and the  
only way to save them is to form a lifebond with that person.  
So he does. Obi-Wan has to go back to Qui-Gon and break the  
news that he has a new partner."

Warnings/Author's Notes: This is a sad and very angsty piece  
and the event that we pretent didn't happen in TPM, happens. So continue  
on at your own risk. Also as this story runs through a time  
span of over thirty years, there are some things included in  
the story that could be construed as spoilers. Some are facts  
from the movies or the novelizations, but most are just  
conjecture from my fevered brain based on those things. Thanks to Emu for the challenge  
that spawned this bunny and to Monalee as always for her  
tireless efforts in making sure my commas are in place and my  
grammar is correct.

Disclaimers: All things Star Wars belongs to the great George  
Lucas and Lucasfilms. I am only borrowing the boyz from him  
for a bit and will return them to him mostly unharmed. The  
story is just for entertainment purposes and no money is  
being made from it.

_Denotes mind or bond speech._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

****Two years before TPM****

As Qui-Gon tried to finds things to keep himself busy, he  
wondered when the last time a ten had seemed so long to him.  
Except for a couple of incidents when Obi-Wan had been  
injured and he had sat vigil in Healer's Hall, his connection  
to the Living Force was such that the passage of time was  
almost insignificant. But this was the first time, except  
during the confines of a mission, that Obi-Wan had been apart  
from him for any length of time and the recent changes they  
were planning in their relationship was making this  
separation very difficult.

The two men had become lovers only a few months before  
Qui-Gon had judged Obi-Wan ready for this next step in his  
apprenticeship. In those months, their feelings and their  
relationship had grown to the point that they had decided to  
deepen it. The evening after Qui-Gon had made his formal  
presentation to the Council for his apprentice to begin  
shepherded missions, they had discussed their desire to form  
a lifebond. They had done some research and explored their  
feelings but had not had the opportunity to move further  
before this mission was assigned.

Obi-Wan had been assigned his first shepherded mission in the  
company of an old friend, Knight Col'tay Dace. Dace was a  
Tintinna, a rodent-like species from the planet Rinn.  
Tintinnas were a short-lived species, which aged biologically  
at twice the rate of humans. So although they had met and  
first become friends when Col'tay was two and Obi-Wan was  
four, Col'tay was now 40 years old while Obi-Wan had just  
turned 23. The two had remained close friends even as their  
age disparity widened and their lives moved along different  
paths.

Because of this growth difference, Col'tay, or 'Dace' as  
Obi-Wan always called him, had been taken as a Padawan at the  
tender age of ten but, as he still needed to undergo the  
required number of standard years of training, he was not  
Knighted until his biological age of 35. After his Knighting,  
Col'tay had taken partner vows with a female from his  
species, a healer named Va'lia, and begun serving on a  
variety of intelligence and undercover missions, either solo  
or with other Knights.

So when Qui-Gon had put Obi-Wan up before the Council as  
being ready to serve under a shepherd, Col'tay had put in a  
formal request for the padawan to serve with him when the  
appropriate mission came available. Although mainly attached  
to the Temple's diplomatic office, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had  
undertaken a good number of more circumspect missions so the  
younger man would be a more than capable partner.

A little over a ten ago, Obi-Wan and his Master were called  
into the mission designation office to review the parameters  
and, with Qui-Gon's approval, he had been assigned to serve  
on this mission to Garban. Two days later, Qui-Gon had  
accompanied his apprentice to the small transport that had  
been assigned to the mission and had watched him depart.

Personal communication between them had stopped when the ship  
reached Garban but between his sense of Obi-Wan through their  
bond and getting forwarded copies of their mission reports  
from the designation office, Qui-Gon had been reassured that  
the mission was proceeding properly and both men were safe.

A little over two days ago, all that had changed. A sudden  
surge of agitation across the bond had told him that the  
mission had taken an unexpected turn but he had been unable  
to ascertain much else. For many hours, all that Qui-Gon knew  
was that Obi-Wan was involved in some type of battle and that  
he not been severely injured. Finally, the feelings of  
agitation had given way to concern and exhaustion and then  
their bond had become strangely muted.

At first, Qui-Gon had been concerned that something had  
happened to his padawan but he soon realized that Obi-Wan's  
life force was still very strong. The connection between them  
was dimmed somehow, almost as if it was being overrun by some  
kind of background noise. A message had come through from the  
designation office that the mission pilot had commed saying  
that Knight Dace had been injured and that Padawan Kenobi was  
caring for him. The trip back from Garban would take fifteen  
hours and although the pilot had been told that Knight Dace  
was stabilized, he advised that healers meet them in the  
hangar.

So Qui-Gon was now trying to pass the last hour until his  
padawan's ship would land. Failing to find anything to do, he  
had settled for meditating until it was time to leave for the  
hangar. In his trance, he had been instantly aware when the  
ship had dropped out of hyperspace. Their bond had  
strengthened as Obi-Wan had drawn nearer but that odd  
distortion had still been present. He attempted to use his  
meditation to reach out to him but gave up in frustration  
when the distortion proved to be too much of a distraction.

Giving up completely on his meditation, Qui-Gon left his  
quarters with plenty of time to insure getting to the hangar  
before the ship landed. He stood waiting in silence until the  
healer's team and Va'lia arrived then kept up a polite  
conversation with the others. He listened as Va'lia tried to  
get more information about her mate but her fellow healers  
couldn't tell them much more. The two additional  
transmissions from the ship had told them that Col'tay had  
been injured by a concussion grenade. The Force bubble he had  
erected to protect their contacts collapsed under the  
pressure and he suffered internal injuries. Obi-Wan had  
managed to stabilize his condition but they didn't know much  
else.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity but was in reality  
only about a quarter hour, the ship made its way into the  
hangar. The group was moving up the landing ramp almost  
before it had fully deployed and quickly made their way to  
the makeshift med bay. The healers tried to move Obi-Wan from  
Col'tay to assess his condition but the younger man had  
barely made it two steps away when the Tintinna became  
agitated.

Obi-Wan moved back to Col'tay's side and took hold of his  
paw. "He has been like this ever since I got him stabilized.  
He gets upset if I get too far away from him. That is why all  
my reports were sent through our pilot." A slight smile  
warmed his face as he added. "It was even a challenge to use  
the refresher so I have to warn you I am rather rank."

The Healing Master gave Obi-Wan an odd look but then focused  
her attention on her patient. In a matter of minutes, they  
had checked his condition and found him not to be in any  
immediate danger. The Master used a Force compulsion to calm  
and sedate the Tintinna and then turned to the others. "Let's  
get him moved to Healer's Hall. Padawan Kenobi did an  
excellent job caring for him but he will need some hours in a  
bacta tank to deal with the damage to his liver and spleen."

They slid Col'tay onto the hoversled they had brought with  
them for that purpose. Va'lia walked beside the sled as the  
group made their way through the hallways. As they followed,  
Qui-Gon slid his arm around his padawan's waist and extended  
across the bond to check his condition but was met again with  
that strange interference. Trying to ascertain what might be  
causing it, he asked. "Tell me what happened, Obi-Wan?"

"A group of mercenaries attacked the rebel cell leaders we  
were meeting with. In the course of getting them to safety,  
we were pelted with a barrage of concussion grenades,"  
Obi-Wan explained, as he leaned a bit into his Master's  
touch. "Dace was able to erect a Force bubble around the  
others while I moved to disarm the launcher but it failed  
under the last grenade and he was injured. I was able to  
incapacitate the rest of the mercenaries, get the leaders to  
safety and get Dace back to the ship." He took a deep breath  
and continued. "Dace was in tough shape when I got him  
settled into the bunk, bleeding internally and going into  
shock so I reached across our friendship bond to feed him  
Force energy until I could get the bleeding stopped."

Dread filled Qui-Gon as Obi-Wan's words, Col'tay's earlier  
reaction and the distortion along their bond made the pieces  
of this puzzle finally come together. "You fed the energy  
directly into the bond?" he asked. When his apprentice  
nodded, he moved them into a small alcove and instructed,  
"Reach out to Col'tay over your bond. What do you feel?"

Obi-Wan did as he was told and was surprised to find that he  
could feel his friend strongly even though the other man had  
been sedated with the Force and was some distance away. "Our  
connection is much stronger than before. Is that from me  
feeding him energy?"

"Yes. Now reach out to me over our bond," Qui-Gon enjoined  
him.

Shock filled Obi-Wan's face as he reached for the shining  
presence that was his master and found their connection  
dimmed. "What's wrong with our bond? I can hardly sense you."

After directing his padawan to sit on the low bench, Qui-Gon  
took a seat beside him and took his hands into his own. "We  
will need verification from the healers to be sure, but I  
think you have formed a lifebond with Col'tay Dace."

Obi-Wan tried to get to his feet but the hands holding his  
kept him seated. "How is that possible? Dace and I are just  
friends. He is mated to Va'lia and I am in love with you."  
His alarm increased as he continued to speak. "How could the  
bond have formed without both of us wanting it? How could the  
Force have allowed this to happen?"

Qui-Gon leaned forward and kissed Obi-Wan, a loving melding  
of lips that convey all of his love and pride for the younger  
man. "Let's wait to see what the healer's have to say. But we  
will find a way to deal with whatever the Force has created  
between you and Col'tay, together."

To their dismay, they found that Qui-Gon's assessment have  
been totally correct and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Col'tay Dace had  
formed a lifebond. After Col'tay had recovered from his  
injuries, the two men had been given three tens off the duty  
roster to work with the soul healers to adapt to the bond.  
Because of Col'tay's weakened state, the bond had formed out  
of balance. Their life forces were not equally entwined and  
Obi-Wan had been less affected by the bond's demands. With  
their species being sexually incompatible and both men being  
in love with others, the bond had not exhibited the intense  
sexual attraction that normally accompanied such a mental  
joining, for which both were extremely grateful.

Obi-Wan spent the time in a flux of emotional upheaval. One  
moment, he ranted at the Force for doing this against his  
will and preventing him from forming a lifebond with the man  
he loved. The next, he worked himself into exhaustion in the  
salles to keep his mind from focusing on what he had lost.  
Other times, he wallowed in a myriad of self-pity and  
depression, hiding in obscure corners of the gardens in  
extended meditations.

Finally, one night after Obi-Wan had spent the day hidden  
away in the gardens, Qui-Gon had had enough and forced the  
issue. "You need to come to terms with this, Padawan. You  
must accept what has happened and move on. Or do you plan on  
throwing away any relationship we could have because of what  
has been denied us?" He used his fingers to raise the cleft  
chin until their gazes locked. "I miss my Padawan and I miss  
my lover. Don't destroy what we already have because of what  
cannot be. The Force does not always see fit to show us the  
reason it does things. Someday, the reason behind this  
unusual bond will finally become clear."

With more than a little reluctance, Obi-Wan attempted to  
follow his Master's advice. After a few more sessions with  
the soul healers and some extended meditations that he  
actually used to release his emotions, Obi-Wan did come to  
terms with what had happened. He still felt a twinge of  
regret for what could have been but buried it deeply, jumping  
back fully into his life both as Qui-Gon's padawan and his  
lover.

****Directly after TPM****

In the two weeks since he had returned from Naboo, Obi-Wan  
Kenobi had done everything in his power to avoid the company  
of any of his friends. He had forgone a formal Knighting  
ceremony, unable to face the congratulations of his peers  
while his heart was shattered by the loss of his Master. He  
had cleared the few things of his that remained in the  
padawan room of their quarters and settled his new  
apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, into the space.

Unless directly dealing with a responsibility pertaining to  
Anakin, Obi-Wan spent all his time locked in the bedroom he  
had shared for the past two years with Qui-Gon. By all  
outward appearance, he was a picture of Jedi serenity, calm  
and collected with not an ounce of emotion showing in his  
handsome face. But within he was empty, broken, as dead in  
spirit as his Master's body had been aflame on the pyre. His  
heart and soul cried out for the man he loved and he lamented  
the fact that he had not died alongside his Master. The only  
thing that tethered him to the moment and kept him from  
seeking a way to become one with the Force was his promise to  
the dying man to train Anakin.

Obi-Wan was again failing in his attempt to meditate when the  
sound of the door chime echoed in the silent rooms. He tried  
to ignore it but soon it was followed by pounding and a stern  
voice calling out to him.

"I know you're in there, Kenobi," the familiar voice called  
both in his ears and in his head. "And I'm not going away  
until you let me in. If you haven't opened this door in the  
next minute, I will have Va'lia get me a healer's override so  
I can let myself in."

Very reluctantly, Obi-Wan rose from the floor and made his  
way to the common room, unlocking the door with a wave of his  
hand before dropping into Qui-Gon's favorite chair. "Go away,  
Dace. I don't want to talk to anyone."

"You don't have to talk. You can just listen," Col'tay Dace  
admonished his lifemate as he locked the door behind him and  
sat on the couch opposite.

"Unlock the door. Anakin will be back soon," Obi-Wan rebuked  
as he ignored the other's words.

"Anakin is currently visiting with Va'lia and the kids," Dace  
said with a smirk. "You don't know how thrilled he was to be  
given the opportunity to hear stories about your misspent  
youth."

"Another thing he can add to his catalogue of his Master's  
failures," Obi-Wan groused in self- deprecation.

"Yeah, you're such a failure, Kenobi. You are the first  
person to be Knighted in field trials in the last two hundred  
years and first to kill a Sith in over a millennia," Dace  
reprimanded, even though his voice held a note of sympathy.

"I let myself be knocked off the cat walk, I wasn't fast  
enough to catch up and Qui-Gon died because we didn't have  
the lifebond I needed to save him," Obi-Wan intoned flatly.  
"What would you call it?"

"Don't you see, Obi," Dace began, getting his lifemate's  
attention by reverting to his nickname from the creche. "Not  
having the lifebond is what saved you and allowed you to  
defeat the Sith."

"I didn't want to be saved and if I hadn't promised Qui-Gon I  
would train his Chosen One, I would find some way to join the  
Force," Obi-Wan argued.

"And take me with you," Dace reminded, "I don't think so,  
Kenobi. For the past two years I have felt guilty that by  
saving my life on Garban, you sacrificed the one thing you  
wanted more than anything - your lifebond with Qui-Gon. My  
only consolation was the fact that our lifebond was  
imbalanced and my death, in the line of duty or due to my  
shorter lifespan, would not cause your death." Col'tay opened  
his end of their lifebond fully so that there would be no  
doubt that he truly believed the words he now spoke. "Now I  
see that wasn't the case. Our lifebond was the Force's way of  
insuring that you would live through the battle with the  
Sith, both to destroy him and for some other purpose. Search  
your feelings, Obi-Wan, and you will know this to be true."

"How can I search my feelings when I can't meditate or even  
sleep?" Obi-Wan lamented. "Every time I close my eyes, I hear  
him cast me aside for Anakin in the Council chambers, I see  
the red blade pierce his chest, I see him fall, I hear him  
begging me to train the boy and I hear him whisper in my mind  
that he will love me forever as our bond dissolves." He  
stifled a sob as he added, "So much hurt passed between us  
during those last few days. I have cried and begged the Force  
to let me feel Qui-Gon again, even if only for a moment, to  
make things right, but it seems the Force has forsaken me as  
well."

"Let me help you, Obi. Open our bond and meditate with me,"  
Dace said softly, as he dropped to his knees a short distance  
from Qui-Gon's old chair and took his friend's hands in his.  
"Maybe when you have released your feelings and begun to make  
peace with all this, you will be able to feel Qui-Gon."

Part of Obi-Wan wanted to refuse, to push away his lifemate  
and continue to dwell in this bastion of self-pity but his  
sense of duty won out and he agreed. He slid to his knees,  
staying as close to the comfort of his Master's chair as he  
could and admitted. "What do I have to lose?" He lowered his  
shields and opened his mind fully to the bond between them  
that had almost constantly remained shuttered since its  
inception.

Col'tay gasped at the intensity of the pain and despair  
coming from his lifemate but worked quickly to enclose them  
both within his shields. _Release the pain, Obi-Wan,_ he  
said into his mind. _Open your heart and forgive yourself  
for these perceived failures. You did not fail Qui-Gon or in  
your duty as a Jedi. You defeated the Sith, protected the  
Queen and helped Naboo get back its freedom. Qui-Gon must be  
so proud of you._

One by one, Obi-Wan slowly did as he had been told and worked  
to release his pain, frustration and disappointment. As time  
passed, he relived each moment in his mind and released his  
distress and anguish into the eddies of the Force. Each  
subsequent discharge of emotion was like a weight being  
lifted from his shoulders and his heart. After he had  
released the most painful feelings, he shifted his thoughts  
to some of his most treasured memories of his life with  
Qui-Gon. Col'tay buoyed him with memories of his own and soon  
his heart felt as if it was beginning to reconstruct.  
 _Thank you, Dace, for not taking no for an answer and for  
pressing me to deal with my emotions. My heart will never be  
whole again but I think it may rebuild enough to allow me to  
see to my duty to Anakin and to the order._

Dace could feel Obi-Wan attempting to surface from their  
shared meditation but the Force was almost screaming for him  
to keep him there. _Wait, Kenobi. Stay here with me for a  
little longer,_ he sent as he quieted his mind to try to  
figure out what the Force was telling him. He felt his  
lifemate do the same and it soon became clear what the Force  
was doing.

 _Padawan,_ echoed lovingly through both their minds as  
Qui-Gon used the strength of their combined lifeforce to  
reach Obi-Wan. _You did not fail me, love. You have always  
been the best thing in my life and I am so proud of you._

A sob, both verbal and mental, escaped from him as that  
beloved voice sounded in his mind. _I should have been  
faster, better. I should have been able to save you, like I  
saved Dace. I don't want to go on without you, Master,_  
Obi-Wan lamented. He could almost feel those strong arms  
surrounding him as a wash of love poured into his mind.

 _You used all the skills I taught you and survived to  
defeat the Sith, Padawan. That is what is important,_ that  
soft brogue admonished. _You were never meant to save me,  
love, and you need to get back out and live your life._

 _Master, I will always love you,_ Obi-Wan vowed  
mentally.

 _I know, my own, as I will always love you,_ came his  
Master's pledge in reply. _The Force has many plans for  
you, my Padawan, but you will never be alone. I will always  
be with you, here._ Obi-Wan felt the touch of a hand  
pressed firmly against his heart as the words echoed in his  
mind. _And one day, when your duty is done, we will be  
together forever within the threads of the Force itself._

 _I will live for that day, my Master,_ Obi-Wan promised.  
 _And I will make you proud of me. I will train Anakin and  
'Live in the Moment' until we can be together again._

 _Be strong, Obi-Wan. I will be waiting,_ echoed in that  
familiar voice as the sense of Qui-Gon's presence faded from  
their minds.

Obi-Wan came out of their shared meditation with tears  
running down his cheeks. "I can't thank you enough, Dace. You  
have no idea what it means to me to have been able to speak  
to him again."

"I know how much it means to you and you're welcome," Dace  
replied as he rose from the floor. "Now pull yourself  
together, get dressed and come down to my quarters for night  
meal. If you don't get there soon, Va'lia may have told  
Anakin about all your less than stellar deeds, including the  
time you stole Mace Windu's boxer shorts and placed them in  
the hand of the statue of Odan-Urr." A touch of a smile  
ghosted on Obi-Wan's lips and Dace knew that they had made  
some progress in dealing with his lifemate's anguish. He let  
himself out of the quarters, hoping that time would serve to  
help the younger man dissipate the rest of his pain.

****A few months before AOTC****

Over the next ten years, the lifemates had gotten together as  
often as duty allowed and both men really looked forward to  
those times. Dace had helped him to heal enough to fulfill  
his duty although nothing ever came close to filling the void  
in his heart. He and Dace had shared many meditations over  
those years, and although Obi-Wan had been able to sense  
Qui-Gon's presence during most of them, they had never again  
achieved the proper state for his Master to communicate with  
him.

But Obi-Wan took strength in those interactions, no matter  
how infrequent or brief and on a few occasions had even  
managed to feel his Master's presence on his own. He spoke  
mentally to Qui-Gon almost every night, relaying the  
highlights of day's events or some special moment in Anakin's  
training, knowing that although he could not see or feel the  
man, his Master had to be with him because he would never  
break a promise. And when he had problems, he would share  
them with his Master as well, working through them by  
imagining what Qui-Gon's suggestions would be.

One evening, Obi-Wan was doing just that in the mission  
quarters he and Anakin had been provided on Fondor, when he  
felt a surge of severe pain over the lifebond. He dropped to  
his knees from intensity of it and reached out with all his  
strength to its source. As the pain began to dissipate so did  
the bond and with a last wave of love from his friend of more  
than thirty years, the bond vanished from his mind. Anakin  
was beside him as the presence faded and while he made the  
call that would confirm in words what he already knew - his  
lifemate, Knight Col'tay Dace, had become one with the Force.

Sorrow filled him at the loss of someone else in his life but  
he refused to dwell on it and let it paralyze him as  
Qui-Gon's death had. There was so much Darkness now in the  
Republic and he needed all his strength to deal with that and  
with the training of his headstrong and impulsive apprentice.  
Moreover he knew that now he had not one silent supporter but  
two, as he knew that Dace would be watching over him  
alongside Qui-Gon.

****Sometime during Episode III****

Fighting not only with his own strength but that fed to him  
by his former Master and his former lifemate, Obi-Wan managed  
to defeat his padawan after Anakin had attempted to kill him.  
He got back to his ship, took off from the volcanic planet  
and programmed a hyperspace route that would take him far  
away. As he sat back in the pilot seat, trying to plan his  
next move, he felt Dace's presence enfold him and a soft  
voice echo in his mind. _Rest for bit my friend and then  
you must go to Padme. Find someplace safe to hide her so that  
Anakin cannot find her._

 _But Anakin is dead,_ Obi-Wan argued with the voice  
speaking in his head. _He lives, my friend,_ the voice  
declared. Doubt filled his mind that anyone could have  
survived that but he knew that his invisible guardian would  
not mislead him.

Obi-Wan was glad that Dace was here for him but he needed  
reassurance that the man who had entrusted him with Anakin's  
training could forgive his failure. _Qui-Gon, I felt your  
presence when I fought Anakin. I'm sorry that I failed in his  
training and as such failed you. Please forgive me,_ he  
begged mentally. For a moment nothing happened and he  
despaired that he would not be able to go on to the tasks  
ahead without absolution from his Master.

Finally the voice Obi-Wan had not heard in over ten years  
echoed softly in his mind. _It is I who failed you, my  
love. I let the boy's power blind me to the truth just as I  
failed to see the Darkness in Xanatos. And you are not to  
blame for Anakin's choices, so there is nothing to  
forgive._

 _Maybe if I had been less emotionally damaged, if my heart  
had been healed enough to truly let Anakin in, this would  
never have happened,_ Obi-Wan's countered, still trying to  
shoulder the blame.

 _Recriminations will not help anyone now, Padawan,_  
Qui-Gon's voice admonished mentally. _Protect Padme. Within  
her, she carries the hope for the future. And remember, I  
will be with you, always._

All too soon, the voices faded from his mind and the Force  
presences faded from the bridge. Steeling his resolve,  
Obi-Wan used the remainder of his hyperspace time to meditate  
on his new duties. He still believed that there must have  
been some failure on his part that cause these tragic events  
but he resolved that nothing would get in the way of  
completing his new directive. He would protect Padme, no  
matter what the cost.

****A few days before the beginning of ANH****

Ben Kenobi knelt in the middle of the desert hovel that had  
been his home for the past eighteen years, meditating for the  
strength to continue in his lonely vigil. He had lost track  
of how long he had been at it when a long dead voice echoed  
in his mind. _Soon, love, very soon, we will once again be  
together._ A surge of elation washed through him and the  
heart that had been frozen for so long began to feel again.  
"Master," he whispered aloud in reply.

 _Be mindful, Padawan. The circle will soon be complete. The  
children of Anakin Skywalker will shortly beseech your  
aid,_ the strong voice instructed as easily as it had  
thirty years before. _Teach Luke about his destiny and his  
heritage before helping them to reunite. Once they begin down  
the path of the Light, your duty will be done and the bounties  
of the Force will be yours. I will be waiting._

The voice faded from his head but the presence remained  
firmly rooted in his heart and Obi-Wan wrapped it carefully  
in the love he had kept safely tucked way for so long. All  
his years of pain and loneliness faded away at the thought of  
finally being with his Master again and his pledge echoed  
through the empty rooms. "Yes, Qui-Gon, and once I am again  
by your side, we will never be separated again."

The End.


End file.
